Apparatus for classifying sheets



April 7, 1942. .1. s. KENNEY ETAL APPARATUS FOR CLASSIFYING SHEETS F11: Aug. 18, 1939 -a Sheets-She"et 1 INVENTORS do/a'h 8. l1 enney fl A, A

0 M MM April 7, 1942. J KENNEY ETAL I 2,278,518

= APPARATUS FOR CLASSIFYING SHEETS Filed Aug. 18, 1959 GSheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS John 5. Kenqey anoA/onzo L Ml/fon WW4 524 Ml/M Aprifi 7. 1942.

J. 5. KENN EY EIAL APPARATUS FOR CLASSIFYING SH EETS 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Aug. I 18, 1939 mvE'NToR John S. Kenney anoA/onzoLM/fivn April 7, 1942. J. s. KENNEY- ET AL APPARATUS FOR CLASSIFYING SHEETS Filed Aug. 18, 1959 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 I N V E N TO R S John 5. K e/me y anoA/onzoL Mf/fo/Z xufivz.

April 7, 1942. J. s. KENNEY ET AL APPARATUS FOR CLASSIFYING SHEETS Filed Aug. 18, 1939 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORS John \Sii/fenney anoA/onzo L Mi/fon April 1942- J. 8. KENNEY ETAL APPARATUS FOR CLASSIFYING SHEETS Filed Aug. 18, 1939 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 unnnuuunnununnnunnunnmiuuilbubuuouL 4 7 7 H i- 2 0 6 Z 6 z f 9 y 2 0 a R m, m M 1 d F 5 A w} w 1 y M a 5 7 J 4 l N V E N TO R S John S. Kenney and/470020 Z M/fi-on 426M.

Jail, MZM

atented Apr. 7, 1942 iii APPARATUS FOR CLASSIFYING SHEETS poration oi Delaware Application August 18, 1939, Serial No. 290,802

Claims. (01. 271-64) This invention relates to the handling of sheets and particularly to the disposition of sheets sheared from a continuous strip, according to the gauge of the individual sheets.

Sheet classifying apparatus of various kinds has been known heretofore. A recent example is disclosed in Kaufman Patent 2,146,581 which embodies a tiltable deflector for directing sheets of different gauges along different paths for piling separately. It is an object of this'invention to improve generally on sheet classifiers as known heretofore and, in particular, to provide a classifier which flattens any burr formed at the edges of the sheets during shearing. A further object of the invention is to provide a classifier capable of efiecting shingling of the sheets or disposing the sheets in partly overlapping relation to facilitate piling. We also aim to provide a mechanism whereby sheets may be piled without scratching the surface of the top sheet of the pile.

In a preferred embodiment of our invention, we provide a conveyor system having one or more sets of tiltable pinch rolls and means for so actuating the pinch rolls as to deflect ofigauge sheets from the normal path of travel. The pinch rolls flatten any burrs existing on the edges of the sheets and also roll out any creases or buckles therein. A conveyor for receiving the elf-gauge sheets is driven at reduced speed in order that sheets delivered thereto may be shingled, i. e., laid thereon in partly 'overlapping relation with the leading end of each sheet overlying the trailing end of the preceding sheet. The conveyor is preferably sloped at a relatively steep angle to obtain certain advantageswhich will be explained more fully hereinafter. Other objects and advantages of the invention as'well as the details of the construction and operation thereof will be explained in the course of the following description which refers to the accompanying drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment. In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view illustrating gen erally the arrangement and cooperation of the several elements of the apparatus;

Fig.2 is a partial side elevation showing the tiltably mounted pinch rolls and mechanism for actuating them, other elements being indicated diagrammatically;

Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken substan tially along the line III-III of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a central, longitudinal'section through the conveyor and piler for the oil-gauge sheets; Figs.,5, 6 and 7 are transverse sectional views taken along the correspondingly numbered lines of Fig. 4;

tail;

Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken along the line IX-IX of Fig. 8 with parts in elevation; and

Figs. 10 through 12 are sectional views corresponding to Figs. 5 through 7 showing the detail illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9.

Referring now in detail to the drawings and, for the present, to Fig. 1, the strip to be sheared,

'e. g., cold rolled steel strip, is fed from a pay-off reel through an edge-trimmer and an electrolimit gauger as well as a leveler. None of this apparatus is illustrated in the drawings since its construction and arrangement in shearing lines is well understood. The strip is then advanced to a shear l0 illustrated schematically in Fig. 1 as a flying shear, which cuts the strip into sheets of predetermined length A conveyor ll of -any suitable type receives the sheets from the shear Ill and advances them to a tilting pinch roll stand I2. After passing between the rolls of the stand I2, the sheets are fed onto a conveyor ill or onto a downwardly tilted conveyor l4, depending on the thickness of the sheet.

The apparatus which has been referred to generally above and is illustrated schematically only in Fig. l, is shown in greater detail in Figs. 2 through 7, to which reference is now made for a complete description. The conveyor ii comprises belts |5 trained over pulleys I6 journaled in a conveyor frame indicated generally at IT.

The frame H is carried on a sub-frame It. The

- means (not shown).

Cross channels IS on the frame it support bearing blocks 20. Pinch roll housings 2! are provided with upper and lower pinch rolls 22 and 23 and screw-downs 24. The rolls 22 and 23 are journaled in bearing chucks 25 slidable in windows 26 formed in the housings 2%. The necks of the bottom roll 23 are elongated and are journaled in the bearings 20. The housings 2! are connected by upper and lower cross channels 21 and -28. The assembly of the housings, the- Fig. 8 is a partial plan view of a modified de- The spring engages a lever 2| and an eye-bolt 83 adjustably supported on a bracket 84 mounted on one of thebearings 28.

A solenoid 85 is secured to the sub-frame I8 or other suitable support and has a core 38 reciprocable therein. A connecting link 81 is pivoted to the core 88 and lever 82. Energization of the solenoid 85 thus causes the core 85 to be pulled down and the housings 2| and the upper pinch roll journaled therein tobe tilted to the position shown in chain lines in Fig. 2. When the solenoid 45 is de-energized, the spring 8| re-= stores the pinch rolls to their solid line position.

Energization of the magnet 85 is controlled by Y the aforementioned electro-limit gauger through suitable relays and connecting circuits, in a known manner and a detailed showing thereof is therefore omitted. It will be understood that the gauger and the intermediate relays operate to shift the pinch rolls from one delivery position to the other in accordance with the gauge of the strip approaching the'shear. The relays introduce a time-delay such that the solenoid 85 is energized or remains de-energized, according to the gauge of a particular portion of the strip, at the proper instant to cause that portion of the sheet, when it reaches the pinch rolls, to be diverted onto the off-gauge conveyor l4 or fed directly onward to the correct-gauge conveyor II. For the present, it will be assumed that the gauger causes energization of the solemold to deflect over-gauge sheets as well as under-gauge sheets onto the conveyor [4.

The conveyor i3 is generally similar in construction to the conveyor including belts 38, traversing pulleys 88 and 48 journaled in a supporting frame 4| and driven by any convenient means. The conveyor I! also includes a flxedV-shapedguide 42 which may conveniently comprise an edged blade extending between the side membersof the frame 4| with its edge projecting toward the bite of the pinch rolls of stand H. The guide 42, as clearly shown in Fig. 2, directs downwardly onto the conveyor H, the sheets discharged by the pinch rolls when in their chain line position. When the pinch rolls are in the solid line position, however, the guide 42 serves to direct the forward edge of a sheet being discharged onto the belts 38 of the conveyor l3. A guide sheet or plate 43 extends downwardly from the guide 42 and forms a continuation of its lower surface.

The construction of the conveyor i4 is shown in detail in Figs, 4 through '7. The conveyor comprises a frame including side channels 44 connected by cross members 45. Adjacent their upper ends, the channels 44 rest on brackets 46 adjustably secured to one of the channels l9. Adjacent their lower ends, the side channels are pivoted to a supporting standard 41 as at 41a by means of brackets and a cross shaft. A cross shaft 48 is journaled in bearings 49 secured to the channels 44 near the upper ends thereof. A driving pulley 58 is secured to one end of the shaft 48 whereby the latter may be driven from any convenient power source. Sheaves are splinecl on the shaft 48.

Adjustable side plates 52 extend along the side channels 44 and have yoke plates 53 secured thereto which enter grooves on the hubs of sheaves 5|. The 'side'plates 52 are adjustable toward and from each other, being slidable on cross bars 520 extending between thte side channels 44. As shown in Figs. 4 and 6, screw shafts 54 have their end portions threaded in opposite directions for cooperation with nuts 55 po- Til ' cated generallyat 5|.

sitioned in recesses formed on the side plates 52. The shafts 54 are connected by a chain and porting track for the belts 88 between the sheaves around which they travel.

Auxiliary supporting rollers 83 are journaled on shafts carried by a pair of angles 84 disposed centrally of the conveyor l3 and supported on the cross members 45. The tops of the rollers 83 are. slightly below the upper runs of belts 68 so that the sheets are bowed as shown in Fig. 12 while passing over the conveyor l4. Downwardly converging side guides are secured to the side plates 52 adjacent their upper ends. A top guide 86 in the form of a plate inclined downwardly toward the belts 68 is supported thereabove on a cross angle 81 secured by brackets 58 to any suitable support such as the frame 4|. Hold-down disks .89 are journaled on links 18 pivoted to the side plates 52 as at 1|. These disks function by reason of their own weight and that of the links 18 to hold the sheets against the belts 68 to prevent slippage.

Disks or rollers 12 are journaled in brackets 13 adjacent the lower ends of the side plates 52 for a. similar purpose. The brackets 13 are pivoted to the side frames at 14 and are subject to a constant angular torque tending to urge the disks againstthe belts. This torque is producerd by the weight of the brackets or by coil springs (not shown). Movement of the disks towards the belts is limited by adjustable stop screws 15 engaging the side plates 52.

Brackets 18 pivoted to the side plates 52 intermediate their ends have belt-tightening pulleys 11 journaled thereon. These brackets are held in adjusted position by bolts 18 extending through holes in the side plates and through arcuate slots in the brackets 15.

The pile. support 8| comprises a platform 19 mounted on a piston 88 reciprocable in 3, cylinder 8| whereby the platform may be raised and lowered in a well 82. A bridge member 83 extends across the well having feet 84 secured to cross bars 83a. The bars 83a are notched into rails 84a extending along opposite sides of the well. A stop plate 85 has slide rods 86 reciprocable through bearings 81. The bearings 81 are pivoted at 88 to slides 89 adjustable along the bridge member 83. Rollers 98 journaled on the platform 19 constitute the actual pile support. The platform 19 is lowered progressively as the pile builds up on the roller table 90 and the pile, when completed, may easily be pushe along the roller table after the platform has. been raised to floor level.

Side guides 9| cooperate with the stop 85 in maintaining the sheets in alinement as deposited by the conveyor l4. The guides 9| are pivoted to the side plates 52 at 9|a so they may be lifted up to clear a pile of sheets on the roller table 98 on lateral movement of the pile. Rear guide plates 92 extend downwardly from the sheaves 59, being secured to the stub shafts 59 by screws 93.

A nozzle 99 is positioned adjacent the lower end of the conveyor l4 and is directed toward the stop 85. The nozzle is connected to a source of air under pressure such as a blower 95 (.Fig. l). A blast gate 96 controls the flow of air 'through the nozzle for a' purpose which will appear shortly.

The operation 'of the mechanisms described above will now be explained. Asalready stated, in one embodiment of the invention, the solenoid 35 is energized by the electro-limit gauger whenever an ofi-gauge sheet enters the pinch roll stand I2, whether the sheet is below or above the. normal gauge for which the gaug'er is adjusted. So long as the gauge of the strip being" sheared into sheets is within the limits of established tolerance, the pinch roll stand is not actuated and delivers the sheets supplied thereto by the conveyor II successively to the conveyor 13. The belts 38 of the conveyor iii are' driven at a speed less than the peripheral speed of the pinch rolls of stand l2 so that sheets delivered successively thereto lie in shingled relation as indicated in Fig. 1.

When an oil-gauge sheet approaches the pinch roll stand, the latter is tilted by energization of Q "guide 42. It will be understood that energization of the solenoid is maintained for'the minimum ,3 time necessary for the edge of a sheet to pass the edge of the guide-.42 and preferably longer, i. e., Juntil the sheet has been substantially fully diseharged from the pinch rolls. After passing the ffg uide 42, the leading edge of the sheet engages Q "thegg-uideplate 43 and the top guide 65 successii'jelyand is guided thereby downwardly onto the belts of the conveyor l4.

The conveyor [4 is disposed at a relatively eep angle to the horizontal, e. g., 20 which is greater than the angle of repose of the sheets {when deposited on the belts 60. The belts are driven at a speed 10-50% less than the peripheral speed of the pinch rolls whereby the sheets are slowed down when deposited thereon. The holddown disks 69 prevent slippage of the sheets along the belts 60 and the center rollers 53 cooperate with the belts in supporting the sheet.

It will be understood that the side plates 52 are initially adjusted 'in accordance with the width of the sheets being handled. The side guides cooperate with the top guides 66 to center the sheets on the belts 60.

' down disks 69, we may employ other means of fw'hich theleading edge ofthe succeeding sheet comes in contact therewith. Off-gauge sheets are .thus delivered successively to the conveyor H in shingled relation, i. e., with the leading edge of each sheet overlapping the trailing edge of the preceding sheet. This relation is shown in Fig; 1.'

- The shingled off-gauge sheets progress downwardly along the conveyor ll-with the belts Instead of the hold-v Q the solenoid and the leading edge of the sheet is discharged from the pinch rolls beneath the 50, being held against the latter by the disks 12 as they approach the lower end of the conveyor. The sheets are eventually discharged from the conveyor onto the pile support M. The air blast created by the nozzle 94 and the blower 95 deflects the leading edge of each sheet upwardly as shown at 96, to prevent scratching the surface of a previously deposited sheet which would be caused if the sheet being discharged were permitted to strike the sheet previously discharged at an angle as indicated at 91. The air blast being confined between the guides 9|, the descending sheet and the stop plate 85, floatingly supports the leading end of the sheet until the trailing end has passed off of the conveyor after which the entire sheet settles gently onto the pile, being accurately alined by the guides SI and 92 and the stop 85.

By the embodiment of the invention described, it is possible to classify the sheets accurately, piling the off-gauge sheets on the support 6|, the sheets of correct gauge being delivered by the conveyor I3 to another pile support, either similar'to that shown at 6| or of any other suitable character. According to a slight modification of the apparatus described, it is possible not only to separate the off-gauge sheets from thecorrect gauge sheets but also to separate the overgauge sheets from the under-gauge sheets. additional apparatus necesary in this modification is similar to that which has already been deill scribed and is illustrated diagrammatically at the right in Fig. 1. It includes a second pinch roll stand 98 similar to that shown at l2 and disposed at the delivery end of the conveyor 13. Conveyors 99 and I00 similar to the conveyors l3 and I4 cooperate with the pinch roll stand 98. The belts of both these conveyors are driven at a speed less than that of the converyor l3 and the peripheral speed of the rolls of the stand 98.

In the modified system, the electro-limit gauger is set to energize the solenoid for operating the pinch roll stand I! to deflect over-gauge sheets onto the conveyo. l4 and to energize the solenoid for operating the stand 98 to deflect under-gauge sheets onto the conveyor Hill. It willbe understoodthat the time-delay interposed by the intermediate relays between the measuring operation and the solenoid energization will be different. for the two stands of pinch rolls because they are located at different distances from the point of measurement. The conveyor i3 is driven at a speed substantially equal to the peripheral speed of the' rolls of .stand i2 so the sheets lie on the conveyor in spaced relation.

The correct gauge sheets will be delivered from the pinch roll stand i2 onto the conveyor l3 and from the stand 98 onto the conveyor 99. Since the belts of the latter are driven at a speed below that at which the sheets are discharged by the pinch rolls, successive sheets are shingled on the conveyor 99 asillustrated in Fig. 1, in the same manner that the over and under-gauge sheets are shingled'on the conveyors l4 and I00, respectively. The conveyor 99 delivers the correct gauge sheets to a pile support and the conveyor I00 delivers the under-gauge sheets to a different pile. support. These supports may be similar to that shown at 6! and no further showing thereof is required.

The modified construction illustrated in Figs. 9 through I! comprises a central sheet support adapted to be substituted for the rollers 63 and having certain advantages over the latter. As shown. in the drawings, angles IOI extend in They spaced parallel relation between the cross members 45 and are secured thereto. A bracket bar I02 is pivoted between the angles IOI adjacent their upper ends on a pin I03. The lower end of the bracket is offset as at I04 and is provided with a stub shaft :05 on which a sheave I is journaled. The shaft I is adjustable longitudinally of the bracket in a slot I0la. A screw I01 threaded through one of the angles composing the lower cross member 45, bears on the bottom of the bracket bar I02. By turning the screw III! in or out, the lower end of the bracket bar I02 may be raised or lowered A sheave I00 is keyed to the cross shaft 40 in alinement with the sheave I00 and conveyor belts I09 are trained around the two sheaves. Angles IIII are secured to the bracket bar I02. Skids III are secured to the angles H0 and overhang the shaft 48.

As above stated, the belts I00 and associated elements are substituted for the roller 00 and serve to support the mid-portion of the sheets passing successively over the conveyor I4. Since the sheave I08 is keyed to the driven shaft 48, the belts I09 are driven at the same speed as the belts 60. By adjusting the screw I01, furthermore, the sheave I06 may be raised or lowered to provide the desired convex or concave bowing of the sheets passing along the conveyor, somewhat as illustrated in Fig. 12. Since the belts I09 are driven, in contrast with the rollers 63 which are idlers, the modified construction is characterized by an improved conveyor action particularly as regards the shingling" of successive sheets. The transverse bowing of the sheets tends to give them rigidity in a longitudinal direction.

It will be apparent that the invention is characterized by numerous advantages over methods and apparatus known heretofore for classifying sheets according to gauge. In the first place, the pinch rolls employed to direct the sheets along different paths may be of hardened metal, e. g., steel, whereby they serve to knock down or flatten any burrs formed at the edges of the sheets by the shears or 'edge trimmer. .This produces a better quality sheet. It also makes .tinning easier and reduces the amount of coating metal used. The pinch rolls also flatten any creases or buckles which may appear in the sheets. A further advantage of the invention is the "shingling of the sheets prior to piling. Shingled sheets can be piled much better and much faster than unshingled sheets. In handling the latter, particularly at high delivery speeds, the leading edge of one sheet will frequently strike the trailing end of the preceding sheet, thus fouling the machine and necessitating a shut-down.

A further advantage of the invention is the preventation of scratching of the top sheet on a pile by the next sheet delivered thereto which is accomplished by the air jet to cushion and deflect each sheet as it is discharged onto the pile.

The steeply sloped conveyors I4 and I00 have special advantages. They require less floor space than substantially horizontal conveyors and can usually be incorporated in a shearing and classi fying line much more readily than a substantially horizontal conveyor. A further advantage is that the sheets are less liable to buckle or break when delivered onto a piler at an angle, than if they are discharged horizontally. The pile guides cause the sheets to build up in accurately superposed position on the pile supports form of apparatus with a slight modification, it will be understood that changes in the apparatus and procedure described and illustrated may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims. We claim: 1. Sheet-classifying apparatus comprising spaced bearings, a roll journaled therein, spaced housings journaled on the necks of said roll, a second roll journaled in said housings and cooperating with said first-mentioned roll, means for driving said rolls, conveyors extending in different directions from oints adjacent the discharge side of said rolls, and means for tilting said housings to cause sheets discharged by said rolls to .be delivered to said conveyors selec-- tively.

2. Sheet-classifying apparatus comprising spaced housings, a pair of pinch rolls journaled in said bearings, means supporting said housings for angular movement about the axis of one of said rolls, conveyors extending in different directions from points adjacent the discharge side of said rolls, and means for tilting said housings to cause sheets discharged by said rolls to be delivered to said conveyors selectively.

3. Sheet-classifying apparatus comprising spaced housings, a pair of substantially horizontal pinch rolls journaled in said housings, means supporting said housings for angular movement about a substantially horizontal axis through the housings, conveyors extending in diiferent direc tions from points adjacent the discharge side of said rolls, and means for tilting said housings about said axis to cause sheets discharged by said rolls to be delivered to said conveyors selectively.

4. Sheet-classifying apparatus as defined by.

claim 3 characterized by means normally biasing said housings to a position for delivering said sheets to one of said conveyors.

leading edge of one sheet overlying the trailing edge of the preceding sheet.

JOHN S. KENNEY.

ALONZO L. MILTON.

Although we have disclosed but a preferred 

